The Johns Hopkins COVID Dashboard for Tuesday, December 15, at 5:26 a.m.:

Worldwide cases: 73,033,508    Worldwide deaths: 1,625,379

U.S. cases: 16,532,877   U.S. deaths: 300,886

According to the Dashboard, the reported worldwide case report increased by 647,573  in the last 24 hours.  Deaths worldwide increased by 10,327.

According to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard, the United States has added 270,573 cases in the last 24 hours.

In the last day, the number of people who have died in the U.S. from  COVID-19 increased by 1,640.

The COVID Tracking Project reports that 110,549  people were hospitalized nationwide with COVID-19 as of yesterday.  Hospitalization rates on the mainland have been increasing at an alarming rate, with some hospitals getting close to being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.  The below graphic from the COVID Tracking Project gives a visual of the situation.  The graphic may be seen in full size at The COVID Tracking Project

 

 

 

On the Big Island, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported on  Monday that 3 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Hawaii has had 19,235 total cases of COVID-19. The Big Island has had  1,718 total cases.

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 has been shipped out to every state in the country.  Hawaii’s first shipment of 975 doses arrived at Queen’s Medical Center on O’ahu Monday morning at 8 am.  Front line health care workers there should start getting vaccinated today.

Click here for more detail on the first vaccine to be approved in the U.S.  The Moderna vaccine Emergency Use Authorization request will be reviewed by the FDA this Thursday.

Health experts warn that even though vaccinations have begun, it will take into mid-2021 to get everybody vaccinated who wishes to be, and we must continue the well-known safe COVID practices–mask wearing, avoid gatherings, hygiene.